OF LOCAL CHAMPIONS, PURPOSEFUL ADVERTISING AND GLOBAL ICONS

Of Local Champions, Purposeful Advertising and Global Icons.
I am putting ink to the sheet for this article on May 25 - ‘Africa Day’ as it’s come to annually commemorate. A couple of days ago, poring over the latest listing of top 100 global brands recently published by Interbrand, I could not help finding it somewhat disheartening to note that not a single name on that list originated from or was even remotely associated with Africa.
While at the verge of despair, I later stumbled upon another article earlier published by the same consultancy, in which, howbeit comfortingly, a number of proudly African brands were given prominent mention alongside notable Western brands as reference points as far as soaring global influence is concerned.
Personally, I have severally pondered reasons why it increasingly seems that Africa (and particularly Nigeria) has appeared to be somewhat far-flung backwards in the scheme of things as far as reckoning in the global marketplace is concerned, while other hitherto ‘fellow third-world economies’ are rapidly increasing their spheres of influence in the global picture.
Giving some more incisive thought to this topically crucial issue of building global and enduring brands out of Africa, I at this juncture suggest it may be expedient for us to pause for a moment and look South for some inspiration in this regard .(This, no doubt, is one thorny issue that borders on ‘national pride’ and indeed still remains a subject of debacle, as most Nigerian practitioners will typically be swift to defensively react that the South Africans are not necessarily better than we are, but are just more exposed or have access to more opportunities. Some others argue that it should be traced to the British/Dutch influence, indeed there abound a thousand and one rationalizations on this topic and I honestly do not intend to join the fray. It is only my opinion that developments in that economy, and indeed some other African economies can be instructive for us in no small measure.
Among other promising icons, Nando’s has been described as one of the very few examples of commercial brand-based globalization to emerge from this continent called Africa.
The intriguing story dates back to the year 1987, in the tiny Johannesburg suburb of Rosettenville, when Robbie(Robert) Brozin was invited by his good friend Fernando Duarte to a small Portuguese-style restaurant then known as Chickenland in downtown Johannesburg. Duarte’s sole objective then was to introduce his friend to something really special – Flame-grilled Portuguese-style peri-peri chicken.
Alas! Brozin ended up being hooked. Collectively, they decided to acquire this obscure restaurant with a vision to change the way the world thinks about chicken! Now, some 19 years down the line, Nando’s has unarguably become one of SA’s most successful and most talked-about food brands. As a matter of fact, its sometime pretty difficult to reconcile the fact this brand traces its very roots to Africa. It’s come to be reckoned with globally as an iconic and classic South African brand synonymous with attitude, energy, irreverence, as well as, among other things, extra soft toilet paper, if you’re daring enough to go for extra hot, that is!!

Now, the real lesson herein is that this young company, a couple of years into its existence consciously took the very bold step of focusing on global expansion which has been resolutely and aggressively pursued over the past few years, and this has paid off handsomely by any standards, resulting in over 600 stores worldwide, with about 205 in SA alone and the remaining nearly 400 taunting and teasing countless taste buds across locations that the founders in their wildest dreams may never even have imagined – the Far East, Australia and the UK being focal points of the expansion drive.
One equally noteworthy realization about the Nando’s story is that the approach effectively punctured the myth that you’ve got to break the bank and outspend competition in order to be able to make any meaningful impact in the market. Faced with intensely stiff and unrelenting competition from big-spending KFC, and against the constraint of lean budgets (estimated then to be just about a mere 17% of the Colonel’s hefty globalization chequebook), Nando’s had no choice but to make big noise to stand a chance of being noticed in the market! This invariably set the tone and essential framework for a very unique brand construct and personality. Ever since, Nando’s advertising has always been challenging, fun, topical, markedly provocative and decidedly irreverent! As a matter of fact, practically nothing has been spared as there’re no sacred cows…just chickens as far as Nando’s is concerned. Everything from sex, old people, drugs, gays, Bill Clinton and Nelson Mandela have so far featured.
This inspiring story lends further credence to the potency of purposeful advertising, as Nando’s has become one of the best examples of an ‘obscure’ African restaurant that successfully employed advertising, albeit, among other tools in the mix to literally force the world to look its way!
Other globally attested examples, still from down south abound in the likes of De Beers, shaking things up in the global mining market, while SAB Miller is also comfortably holding it down in the competitively cut-throat world beer market.
Suddenly, a startling poser flashes across my mind….could it be a skin pigmentation thing…is black Africa jinxed or something??
Probably not! Interestingly, some of our Nigerian ‘superbrands’ are not doing so badly afterall, considering those futuristic ad spots on CNN, huge sponsorships and events etc .. we can only hope things continue to get better. However at this juncture, knowing that we already RULE OUR WORLDS, We’ve since been THINKING POSSIBLE, We’re already SHARING THE BRIGHTER LIFE and doing loads of other stuff, Isn’t it expedient, perhaps, that we stop in our tracks , draw deep breaths in and pause to ask….. Where goeth we from here?

Tomi Ogunlesi is a professional member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK) and is presently an account planner in Strategy and Business Development at BatesCosse, Lagos.